Ieaxsforand  process of separating metals from ores



(No Model.) 7

- O. E. SEYMOUR. MEANS FOR- AND PROCESS OFSEPARATING METALS FROM ORES. No. 489,101.

Patented Jan. 3

with Sterne (flllAI'lLFISl E. SEYMOUR, OF

LA HE GEN l n'rnn'r lTlili'lEt Tit, WISCOESIEJ.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 0. 4589,10 dated January 3, 1893.

Application filed November 30, 1391. Serial No. 413,455? (lilo model.)

To all w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that; I, tin-tunes it. Sermons, of Lake Geneva, in the county of Walworth and State of lrisconsimhavc invented a new and useful Improvement in the Means for and Process of Separating; Metals from Ores, of which the following; is a description, reference being had to the accompanying d rawing, which is a part oi. this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved mechanism for separating:valuable minerals as gold and silver from pulverized metal-bearing ores in which they are contained, in and by putting the inctal-ladeu ores by the aid of suitable mechanism into incl cury and thereby by amalgamation malrin a substantially complete separation of the metals from the ores, and also at the same time to quite complete the separation by a further amalgamation and mechanical separation.

My improved mechanism and process are cspcciallyadaptcd for use n separating from their ores, those metals which are linked or are so minutely pulverized as, when the ore: are put into water, to float on or remain suspended in the water, and are liable tobe lost when the metals are attempted to be separated from their ores by the means and processes heretofore in use.

In the accompanying drawing the ligure an elevation of my complete machine, arranged to illustrate the method of its use in the process of separating metals from their ores, portions of the mechanism being shown in section, and other parts being broken away for convenience of illustration.

A is a frame ol'snitaijilc form and strength to support the ope-rat ive lll whanism. A rcvoluble bowl 12 open at its bottom, rests upon and opens into a spheroidal receptacle 0. The walls of receptacle 0 are drawn inwardly or contracted at the top so that the circular aperture from the receptacle upwardly into the bowl is of considc able less diameter than the horizontal diameter of the medial part of the receptacle. This form of construction providcsa cover for the medial outer annular part of the chambcrol' the receptacle, so that the mercury thrown against the side walls of the receptacle by centrifugal force in substant'iallythc position shown by the granular shading, will not escape from the receptacle at the top into the bowl. The bowl and recentacle arc'prcferably made independentof each other and are bolted togetherrrgidly water tight. The bowl is preferabl y madeof sheet copper, and the receptacle may be made of copper or other suitable matcriahglass be ing quite sz ttisfactcry therefor.

The receptacle 0 rests on a dish or head l) rigid on the arbor E. The receptacle in so cured detachably in its seat by means of set screws turning through logs on the head I) against the lower part of the receptacle. Th arbor rests upon and has its bearing in the pedestal l fixed on the frame, andalso has hearings in the boxes F F also secured to the frame. A pulley G on the arbor E can ries the belt t", which runs on a pulley II on the shaft ll which belttransmits rotary motion to the bowl l and receptacle G. A vertically disposed tube I supported rigidly in the frame and provided with a hopper I at its upper extremity extends downwardly into e receptacle 0 and is adapted to re ceive the pulp, conveniently through the pipe J in its upper end, and discharge it. into the receptacle C. The pipe I is provided with a prim piston K having a downwardly; opening valve K and a stem L which is adapted to force the pump downwardly in the tube or pump i. At the lower extremity of the tube l are two circular plates H M located. opposite each other at a little distance apart, the upper plate being secured permanently to the pipe I and the lower plate being secured to the upper plate. These plates are preferably concavoconvex in form, the upper one ill being provided with a central aperture through which the tube ldischargcs into the space or radial chamber between the two ph'tt-es. The outer cd of the two plates are preferably slightly curved upwardly o0rrcspondiugly as shown at N. These plates are within the receptacle 0, their outer edges being substantially in a horizontal plane of the creator axis of the spheroid, and near the wall of the rooepn-icle in the space occupied by the mcrcu ry when the receptacle is revolved rapidly with the mercury therein.

It somewhat deep annular trough O fixed in it IOC to the frame surrminds the bowl ll near its movable QlIllWlSQ in hearings therefor on the frame, which racks are arranged to be raisedand lowered by the rotation of nishafi Q hs h ing its hearings in boxes on the frame and provided with fixed pinions which mesh with the racks P. The shaft Q also oroviiled with a crank lninillo Q for rol'niing it and wiih :1 pinion rack lindaptcd to he caught by a bolt or latch ll sliding in ivnys inercforon ihe frame. By means of this latch and rock the shall; is locked and lilo trouglris supported at any desired height wilhin its line of vertical trnvch The piston SlPlll or rod ill has suilnlilc hemings in Lilo frzune for its rmticnl movement and n roll 8, pivoleti in a collar 5 mljusinhlo on the stem, eonnccls it lo ihe mljustsble wrist oi a crank "l" on l lies-hair 'l. The shaft T has its hearings in the hangers U U fixed to a permanent support.

The shaft ii is Grivon by means of a wheel ii" on the shaft ll, which bears l'rietionully against a disk T on the shaft 'l. The shaft H. has a hearing and is SllppOlU-Xl Li'. its iowcr end in the step V which is adjustable Vcrii- (rally by means of the screw Y rigid thereto turning into n sniialile out therefor lined in ihe frame. A. [log T 5 w on the frame engages the stop Y roles: bly in suiisule re cesscs then-for, and loci l H, in non lion revolubly. Xi coilnr 'W ii ctl about the shnl't ll so that the shaft; niovnbio therein, pivoted on one iii'lll oi llic levtnfii which is pivolecl medially in the hunger ll {mil in pro vided with n weight "iV" ni'ljnstahle on its olhcr arm. The pulley ii is & ilinoil on the shaft ll by men: of n. iongrnc in the pulley thntenicrs nlol'lnitinlinnl zrl'nii c Y intheshni't L and the pnllcj. is r conned col'isl'zt itly in the plane of the oclt (1" by the bracket arms Y Y fixed on the lminq and terminating in collars about the shaft ll rizaspcciively above and below the pulley ii.

The inethoilot nsii'ig in improved machine and the prom oi scpni ling metals from ores wit h the machine zirconstnntinlly follows: A supply of incriiniry (quicksilver) L/,,lS placed frcc in ihe 'reci-rptncl [1 and the bowl l5 llrcicrnhly wnshcil in'snrimwil with men eury. The howl nnil rccc itnclc are inon out into rapid roiaiion which causes the moi-"1 ry in ilio rcc pln.clc by ccnirilu u nl notion to rise to he laterally GillillgiiHl pent of the receptoclc, and form an annular ring; about and covering; lllQGCl JCUfEllClllPLiICh l anilBlinss'lmWn in cross section in tho draw ng. A supply of pulp (Wot ores) is (lellfliP-Y to the who or pump 1 through the hopper i conicnicmly by means oi iln: conducting pipe .l, and. lhc pulp is by the ziictii'ni of iiif; piston forced. in ii giri'icticnllgr continuous sire-uni bctwecn lhc pint call zinil Ill" inioanil iliaun gh the lll 'l'cllly about. and covering the edges oi the plates,

the Water and the lighter portion of the ganguo rising" through the mercury into tho bowl ligwhilc the metal in the ores will n'lostly amslganiato with the mercury, and portion of the heavier gnnguo or metal laden ores Will soitlo through the mercury in the bottom of the receptacle C. The water and lighter ganglia will by centrifugal action under the rapid revolution of the bowl, rise in and. how over the edge inio ihc trough 0, from which it is discharged hygmvity through the orifice O" The quicksilvar-coated surface of the copper bowl, is adapted to cnlxoh and hold by amalgamation any free :nclnl that llllty have escaped from the free mercury in the receptacle ti, and a certain amount ol? tho heavier pnriicles of the lighter ore that has cscnpo l from null risen above the reecpinclc,is liable to gather on the sides of the bowl as shown at h b. Thcsc nictzii-hulcn ore; that settle on the sides of the bowl are re moved therefrom and caught, by shutting oi? the supply of pulp while ilio howl still rotating, lowering the trough 1 into Bhotrough 0 and lowering, the shaft ll so theiits WliOOl iii gears with ihc disk T nearer its periphery hereby greatly increasing the speed of rotation of the bowl which, by conlrii'ugnl actii n, will lift; t' mineral laden ore I), out of the bowl discharging it inlo the trough P, from which ii; inny'hc rcini'n'ed in any convenient manner. When the mercury in the receptacle has become (lull or iozulcil h ninalgnmntion with ilill'li'ilfll, he revolnlgimi of the receptacle is stopped and the ninz'tlgzini removed therclroin in any suitable \\'ZL}',SLS

by drawing ii o through iho grate Z or by dipping ii out. with :i luillt or the receptacle (1 may no unlzislcncil both from the supporting; howl l) and from the howl IE, will may he removed from the machine vvlih contmiis,

and n duplicntc receptacle properly supplici'l with free mercury put in iis place This work or" rcrnovingzinil rn nein g n receptacle can. be done in ncoinpnrnlivclyshort time so that but little time will he lost in making; tho ol'ningc,

In using this innchinc in low temperatures of the ninnlsphorc, and also for. separating certain ores it is desirable to rnisc the temporniure of the pulp, nml for lhzit purpose I connect a steam pipe L to the pump l, by which slenn'l mayhedischnrgcil into thepuln in ihc pump, tlwrchy r ng its temperature sniiicienily to he acted upon quickly and soilisl-(iciorily as it pus, through the mercury.

t will be apparent to n skilled mechanic thnt inc :uljnstuhlc slop V provided with null SllPpGl'iUl on the screw V, is mlnpied [or mist ingnnrl lmroring; the shaft ll, whereby its l'riclion gcnr ll is put inlo contact with the disk 'i'" nonror in o further E".r(nn its shatft 'l, thus reducing; or lilClcziSlllg the (l of lhe revolution of the bowl ll as do. ireil, nnclcr the uniform revolution of i'he slnilt T, Also that ilic wcighi; W on the lever W is (Midlflltl l'o hohl the wheel ll oonslnnlly but yicldingly in engagement with the dish 'l".

\Y'in'it I claim as my invention nntl desire i0 secure ll) Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a spheroidal incrthe bowl- ITO nearer cury-holding receptacle having a contracted and partially closed top mounted on a revoluble shaft, of an upwardly outwardly flaring bowl mounted on and opening at its bottom into the spheroidal receptacle, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a spheroidal mercury-holding receptacle having a contracted and partially closed top mounted detachably concentrically on a revoluble shaft, of an. upwardly outwardlyfiaring bowl mounted detachably on and opening through its bottom into the spheroidal receptacle, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a revoluble amal gam receptacle, spheroidal in form and having a contracted and partially closed top, of a tube leading into the receptacle, and plates at the bottom of the tube opposite the larger medial part of the receptacle arranged to discharge pulp from the tube between them radially into the outer portion of the larger medial part of the receptacle, substantially as described.

t. The combination with a revolublo spheroidal receptacle in which mercury is by centrifugal action held against. the sides of the receptaele,of means for forcing pulp into the mercury consisting of a tube leading into the receptacle and discharging by radial passages, a piston in the tube arranged to force pulp through the tube into and through the mercury in the receptacle and means for reciprocating the piston, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a revoluble mercury-holding receptacle, of a daring copper bow]. mounted thereon opening into the receptacle, and a quicksilver coat on the inner surface of the copper bowl, substantially described.

6. The combination with a spheroidal mercury-holding receptacle mounted on a revolnble arbor so as to revolve about its shorteraxis, of a pulp discharging tube leading into the receptacle and concave-convex plates secured to the end of the tube located at a little distance apart and having correspondingly upturned edges betweerl which plates the pulp is discharged radially substantially opposite the plane of the greater axis of the spheroidal receptacle, substantially as do scribed.

T. The combination with a revoluble orescparating bowl, of an annular trough suspended normally slightly above the bowl, and means substantially as described on which the bowl is suspended and whereby it is adapted to be lowered below and about the edge of the bowl so as to catch the discharge therefrom.

8. The combination with a revclublc orcseparating bowl, of a comparatively wide and deep annular trough located about the bowl at its edge, and a second annular trough normally suspended above the bowl and arranged to be lowered about the bowl into the first mentionedtrough in such manner as. tp catch the overflow therefrom, substantially as, described. i

9. The combination with a revoluble sphe roidal amalgam receptacle, adapted by its rapid revolution to carry under centrifugal action a supply of mercury in annular form against the inner surface at its greatest diameter, of a fixed supply pipe leading into the receptacle, disk plates secured rigidly at a little distance apart to the pipe forming a radial discharge passage from the pipe, which disks are located substantially opposite to the greatest diameter of the receptacle and project nearly to the sides thereof and into the space occupied by the mercury when the receptacle is revolved rapidly, whereby, the edges of the plates being in the mercury, the mercury is agitated as it moves about the plates by contact therewith, and means as a force pump in the pipe for forcing the pulp into the revolving and agitated mercury, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the arborofarevolving ore receptacle, of an ondwise adjustable shaft belted to and driven by the receptacle arbor, a pulp feeding pump, a shaft provided with a crank connected to the pumps piston, a disk on the latter shaft and a wheel on the adjustable shaft bearing frictionally against the dislri whereby'the pump is operated from the receptacle-revolving mechanism and its motion is regulated as desired, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the arbor of a revolving ore receptacle, of an endwise adjustable shaft bolted to and driven by the receptacle arbor, an adjustable step in which the adjustable shaft has its bearing, a pulp feeding pump, a shaft provided with a crank connected to the pumps pistoma, disk on the lat-' ter shaft and a wheel on the adjustable shaft bearing frictionally against the disk, and a, weight-actuated lever arm bearing against the adjustable shaft adapted to hold the wheel on the adj ustable shaft yieldingly in contact with the disk on the other shaft, substantially as described.

12. The process of separating the heavier parts of orcs from the lighter parts consisting in rotating mercury in and with a revolving receptacle whereby by centrifugal action IIO the mercury is disposed in annular form I20 about the sides of the receptacle, and forcing crude pulverized ores in a substantially con tinuous supply into the revolving mercury whereby by the specific gravity and agitation of the mercury and the ores therein the heavier parts of the ores are separated from' the lighter parts, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. SEYMOUR. Witnesses:

J osmn BARFIELD, (Inns. F. CASE. 

